wow Sue. After reading that I can see why you want to distance yourself. I think you do deserve some peace, I would like to be left alone for awhile after all that too.

Your kids are older now, they can look after themselves. It must be awful knowing that going to that party will very likely open you up to another round of dramas and being treated badly.
Yeah they are your children.....but I don't think there is anything in the laws of parenting that say you have to be treated like a doormat for the rest of you life because you are a parent.